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Icelandic hunting vessels in port

Whaling boat kept in port after more hunt cruelty exposed

Icelandic whale hunting fleet One of the whaling boats involved in the latest hunts in...
Commerson's dolphin

New Important Marine Mammal Areas added to global ocean conservation list

Commerson's dolphin Experts from a number of countries have mapped out a new set of...
Image showing two harpoon wounds in fin whale

Whalers kill just days after Iceland’s hunt suspension is lifted

Whalers in Iceland have claimed their first victims since the lifting (just a few days...
Fin whale

Icelandic government lifts suspension on cruel hunts

The Icelandic government is to allow fin whales to be hunted again after lifting a...

Another fossil gives early clue to evolution of baleen whales

Examination of an ancient fossil has given scientists another insight into the evolution of baleen whales such as humpback or blue whales.

The fossil, named Coronodon havensteini, was found near the Wando River in South Carolina and lived around 30 million years ago. One of the great mysteries of whale evolution is how baleen whales evolve from originally having teeth and at what point did these whales lose their teeth? This whale has a wide snout and short jaw bones that are characteristics of a baleen whale. However, what is intriguing is that it had teeth which appear to have been used in a sieve-like way to catch small prey and filter out the water. But, at the same time, the whale would also have been able to take larger prey using the teeth in a more conventional way.

The latest discovery follows that of possibly the oldest relative of baleen whales found in Peru that lived 36 million years ago which also showed characteristics of having teeth but using suction to catch food.

Full report:
The Origin of Filter Feeding in Whales
Jonathan H. Geisler, Robert W. Boessenecker, Mace Brown, Brian L. Beatty
Current Biology


About George Berry

George is a member of WDC's Communications team and website coordinator.